Memories Stirred

The mention of Prof. Arthur Upham Pope, an expert on Persian art, in the Fairmont Hotel story by Ruth Ryon (July 10), ushered in memories of my encounter with him during wartime New York City.

He was then director of an Iranian institute, and offered me a position to teach advanced Armenian courses. I declined on the grounds that I lacked the scholarship for the thoroughness it would entail.

Pope was a precursor in utilizing his position to create a climate for communication among the cultures in the Near East. This impressed me no end in the days long before there were established programs for exchanging cultural information as we were committed to do in the Office of War Information.